I've already blogged about how writers can avoid online scams. Many writers avoid answering online ads because they fear being scammed (many are also skepticism about whether companies looking for writers online are willing to pay professional rates--call it the Demand Studios Effect). But I can say from personal experience that it is possible to land a decent-paying writing gig this way. Here a few examples of clients I've secured by answering online ads: a communications agency that specializes in nonprofit clients (one of my favorite industries!) and subcontracts some of their email campaigns to me, an eco lifestyle blog that pays me to post several times a week, and a career website that has given me over $1,000 in assignments in less than a year. Earlier in my freelance career, I scored one of my first ongoing clients by posting an ad in the services section of Craigslist (this client still has me on a monthly retainer!). So it can work both ways. Based on my experience, the key is to read each ad carefully and watch out for red flags. Here are a few phrases I've learned to avoid:
- "We need content writers." This could mean web content writer, but a lot of the time, I've noticed that they're looking for a writing bot to churn out a high volume of content at bargain basement prices. Often this content may be little more than a regurgitated Wikipedia entry. And when they're looking for a bunch of writers, that could spell trouble.
- "Re-writer." This is the ugly, incestuous sibling of #1. I've done a few projects where I help an author or speaker repackage their own material for a different medium, but often posts for "re-writers" means you'll be taking a competitor's content and changing it around a bit. Generally, when a potential client cops to this in an ad, it's a bad sign that they are so far removed from the writing world (and issues of media ethics) that they don't understand the value of original, well-crafted articles or marketing copy. And if they're willing to screw the competition, what makes you think they won't screw you, too?
- "We're just a startup." In this statement, the red flag is not startup as you might expect. It's just. I've worked and freelanced for startup companies, and they can be exciting (and decent-paying) places. Trouble is, people sometimes use this phrase to guilt you into working for cheap. Plus, those who have the attitude that they're "just a startup" may never progress beyond that stage. (Did Steve Jobs ever say "we just sell circuit boards"? Did Kenneth Cole ever say "I just make shoes"? If you don't know the story of how Kenneth Cole got his start, it's pretty interesting.)
- "We don't have much now, but this could lead to bigger projects." Yeah, and I could win the lottery or marry royalty. Be very skeptical when someone makes this claim. Yes, writing for a cool, but low-paying pub like BUST magazine could help you land a book deal or score clips in other magazines. But writing for some poorly designed website that no one has heard of is unlikely to impress new clients or make you famous. And some of these clients will dangle the promise of higher pay and just move on to other unsuspecting writers when you call them on it.
- "Easy for the right person." Translation: "if this project takes you more than an hour to complete and you expect to be paid more than $10 for your time, then you ain't the right person." To this client, the "right person" is someone who's willing to a) do a half-a$$ job and collect their crappy paycheck or b) spend hours slaving away for mere pennies just to prove that they are, in fact, a competent writer. Good writing isn't supposed to be easy. It takes time to find just the right word or turn of phrase. In my opinion, high-quality clients understand this.
- "Great for students or work-at-home moms." You may be a student or a work-at-home parent (or both), but it doesn't mean you to have write for peanuts. I earned $100/article during my undergrad years. In retrospect, even that was a little low, but it seemed like a lot at the time for something I did for free whenever I turned in a homework assignment. Clients who care about quality writing don't care if you're a student or a parent or whatever, and they won't exploit your situation to get you to settle. Quality clients care that you can deliver on time and on target.